The Rivers State Police Command has arrested four suspected members of a criminal gang allegedly involved in armed robbery and kidnapping, recovering six firearms and 58 rounds of live ammunition during the operation.
The arrests followed an intelligence-led operation in Rumuekpe, Emohua Local Government Area, on October 4, 2026, and the subsequent apprehension of another suspect in Owerri, Imo State.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, identified the suspects as Chinemerem Uchewo, Michael Ishaka, Abdulahi George and Gideon Okah.
According to the police, preliminary investigations linked the suspects to several reported cases of armed robbery and kidnapping in Choba, Elele Alimini, Emohua and Rumuekpe communities.
The statement further disclosed that the suspects allegedly confessed to killing Joseph Onyeka during a robbery in Rumuji Community on July 23, 2026. They were also linked to the shooting of a police officer, Inspector Womoma, at a checkpoint along the East-West Road near Elele Alimini Junction on August 4, 2026.
The weapons recovered during the operation include two AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, an English-made double-barrel rifle and a locally manufactured revolver pistol.
The command said efforts were ongoing to track down other suspected members of the gang.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, commended the officers involved in the operation for their bravery and professionalism.
Adepoju reaffirmed the command’s commitment to sustained intelligence-driven operations and investigations aimed at dismantling criminal networks and recovering illegal firearms.
He warned suspected criminals and their associates to desist from criminal activities, stressing that the command would intensify efforts to bring perpetrators of armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes to justice.
The police commissioner also urged residents to promptly report suspicious activities, assuring the public that all information provided would be handled confidentially.
